Online and in the shops: Toy appeal

Barnardos has joined GLS Parcel Shops for their fourth annual Christmas toy appeal.

The children’s charity works with 6,300 children in Ireland, and most will find Christmas stressful. Every toy donated makes a huge difference to a child’s Christmas. Toys can be dropped to any of the 150 GLS Parcel Shops nationwide, by Dec 18. Gifts should be new, unwrapped, and for any child up to 12 years old. A list of GLS locations is on www.barnardos.ie

TOP TEN: Head out to the lighthouse with the LEGO City coast guard patrol, €54.99. This LEGO set made the top 10 toys for Christmas, selected by the Toy Retailers’ Association. All the top toys will be available at the Dublin Toy Fair, which is at the RDS until Dec 1. The toy expo has interactive family play areas, a Play Doh space and a Nerf target gallery for bigger children, as well as Santa in his winter wonderland. Tickets on www.dublintoyfair.com

IN THE BAG: If you are sighing at the thought of picking up more LEGO this Christmas, Buddybags are a play mat and storage bag designed by an Irish couple. Ideal for the quick tidy-up of toys around the house, Buddybags are for ages three upwards.

Each child’s bag can be personalised, if ordered before Dec 15, with prices from €24.99. Buddybags is offering three bags for the price two; enter the code “CRACKERS” in the note to seller, on www.buddybags.ie

MATERNITY JEANS: Perfect for chilly days and cut-to-fit throughout your pregnancy, these dark-wash, bootleg maternity jeans, left, from JoJo Maman

Bebe, have a wide jersey waist-band to roll under your bump for support and warmth.

Team them with this sequin maternity jumper, both €39 from their store in 14 Wicklow St, Dublin or www.jojomamanbebe.ie